C H A N D I G A R H

Badal links development with decentralisation
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — The Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today stressed on the decentralisation of power for better development in states. He was speaking after laying the foundation stone of Shaheed Udham Singh Bhavan in Phase 3 A here.

Le Corbusier’s buildings need facelift: Blew
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Clean up and make more presentable the key Corbusier government buildings in the city — this is the message given by Mr John C. Blew, a Director of the Society of Architectural Heritage (SAH) headquartered in Chicago (USA).

City gets new Bishop
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Thousands of Catholics from all over North India poured into the grounds of the Sector 26 Sacred Heart School here today to participate a seldom-seen ceremony nearly as old as Christianity itself.

Truck crushes mother, child
DERA BASSI, April 9 — A mother and her 9-month-old child were killed and the child's grandmother received serious injuries when a truck overturned after hitting a carriage protection wall (pulli) on the Dera Bassi-Barwala road at Rampur Sainian here this morning.

In search of eateries that serve a pious menu
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — These may be good days for the soul, but they're bad days for restaurateurs. With many people observing the Navratra fast, the city's normally packed eating houses are seeing slow business.

Cruel handling injures animal
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — In a case of cruelty against an animal, a stray cow was injured after it fell while being pulled by a tractor-trolley by staff of the local municipal council. The poor animal, tied behind the trolley with a rope around its neck, was dragged for few yards before being noticed by residents of Phase 5 here.

'Implement Nanakshahi calendar'
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The Institute of Sikh Studies has appealed to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to implement the Nanakshahi calendar with immediate effect and put an end to all confusion and controversy in the matter. The unanimous adoption of the calendar by the general house of the SGPC should be implemented without any further delay, it said.

COMMUNITY

A ‘drive’ against terrorism
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — To spread awareness among the masses about combating terrorism, a Head Constable with the Tamil Nadu Police is traversing the country on a motor cycle.

'Link women to development'
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Poverty, population and women power (three Ps) needed to be linked to the intervention in development in a deteriorating national scenario, said Mr R.K. Mishra, a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, at the concluding ceremony of a regional training workshop organised by the Commonwealth Youth Programme here on Friday.

Open drain claims child
LALRU, April 9 — Manpreet Singh, alias Harry, a student of UKG, died after drowning in a drain carrying sullage of the town in the local market on Friday.

The 4-year-old drowned in the open drain while playing in front of his house in Sardarpur Mohalla. His parents, on noticing his disappearance, started searching for him.

PUDA flayed for razing mandir
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — The Chandigarh unit of the Vishav Hindu Parishad and the local unit of the Shiva Sena Bal Thakre have in separate statements criticised the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) for demolishing parts of Pracheen Shiv Mandir in sector 69 (Kumbhra village) here recently.

Scribe bereaved
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Tripta Devi, sister-in-law of Harish Chander, a freelance journalist based at Morinda, died while her husband sustained serious injuries in a head-on collision between two scooters near Shambhu barrier last night.

Fire in Markfed unit
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — Fire broke out at a local unit of Markfed, manufacturing insecticides and pesticides, in Industrial Area here today.

Sandhu's death mourned
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The Union Minister for Sports and Secretary-General of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, today mourned the death of Jasdev Singh Sandhu, Chairman of the Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection Board, and described him as a great patriot and a popular and veteran Akali leader who always fought for the welfare of the masses.

Supreet crowned Baby Princess
CHANDIGARH, April 9 —Supreet Gill from Haryson Public School, SAS Nagar, was crowned as the Baby Princess in the category 'A of the' mega- baby- prince'' show in aid of poor and needy students.

Saket inmates get books
PANCHKULA, April 9 — The local unit of the Bharat Vikas Parishad organised its annual function here today.

CRIME

60 whisky pouches seized
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The police on Friday arrested Darshan Lal of Burail village and recovered from his possession 60 pouches of whisky. A case under Sections 61,1,14 of the Excise Act has been registered.

BUSINESS

ATMs prove attractive 'bait' for low-cost deposits
Chandigarh, April 9 — Do you have a magnetic five-by-four-inch wallet that doesn't bulge in your pocket? More and more people have acquired this plastic key to the bank vault, known as the ATM card. "The cards are not yet common," a senior official of the State Bank of India conceded, "So far not much effort has gone into popularising them."

• ATMs ... so far so good

Marketing of IT products 'weak'
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The two-day national conference on data communication concluded here with a panel discussion on several aspects concerning the information technology (IT) scenario in the country.

EEFI flays Govt’s economic policy
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Delegates from various parts of the country flayed the present economic policy of globalisation and liberalisation and disinvestment of the PSUs being pursued by the government. They were speaking on the opening day of the three-day fourth national conference of the Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI) being held here.

COURT

Suspect denied bail
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — The bail application of Surinder Nindra, one of the suspects in a case of cheating, has been rejected by Mr Justice T.H.B. Chalapathi of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The local police had registered a case against four property dealers of Nayagaon.

CULTURE

Singers entertain at Press Club function
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — Several eminent Punjabi folk singers enthralled the audience for hours in the Press Club on Friday evening.

HEALTH

Dispensary gets new building
SAS NAGAR, April 9 — A new building of civil dispensary in Phase V here was inaugurated by a Punjab Cabinet Minister, Ms Satwant Kaur Sandhu, here today. A free medical camp was also inaugurated by the minister.

Trauma care can save mishap victims
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — The management of trauma patients has come up as a super-specialised discipline in saving high death rate possibilities following road accidents.

SPORT

Bombay XI beat Shine Star XI
CHANDIGARH, April 9 — On the opening day of the IVth UT League Cricket Tournament here today at Gursagar Grounds, Bombay XI beat Shine Star XI by six wickets. In the second match, DYFI Cricket Club beat Happy XI by 34 runs.